What is Poetry: Conversations with the American Avant-Garde

Over a four-year period, Daniel Kane interviewed many of America’s most interesting and daring contemporary poets about their work. What Is Poetry features twelve of the liveliest of these dialogues, accompanied by an in-depth introduction to the American “avant-garde tradition,” a series of personable biographies, and an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources.

The poets interviewed are Rae Armantrout, John Ashbery, Robert Creeley, Fanny Howe, Lisa Jarnot, Kenneth Koch, Ann Lauterbach, Bernadette Mayer, Harryette Mullen, Michael Palmer, Lewis Warsh, and Marjorie Welish. “The poets…open up about their individual approaches to poetry and about teaching creative writing in a way that many aspiring poets, writing instructors, and even lay readers will find revealing and inspiring.” —Library Journal “If you are a reader of any kind of poetry, you should get this book.” –Teacher, Rhinebeck, NY

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ISBN 0-915924-64-1